‘Logic takes us from A to B, Imagination takes us anywhere’
Albert Einstein
Creativity is a gift bestowed upon us with the sole purpose to do great things. By this I do not simply mean coming up with world changing ideas. Fundamentally it is the compound effect of doing things consistently with a creative spark. That spark is the inner explosion of a thought manifested into a word and transferred into something real and actionable.
My contention here is that as coaches and teachers, if we are simply stuck in routines all the time, doing the same thing over and over again, we will miss the feeling of the spark that takes us to an entirely new level of thinking and doing.
Classically we can look at a structure of a training session. You as a coach tick off all the boxes: you are punctual, prepared and your session is delivered with the usual consistency. However, after a while your client stagnates and gets bored of the same routines you have been doing, even with diligent programming.
Being creative is mixing things up and shaking the comfort of routine. As I stated earlier, doing the little things well and consistently is rule number 1. By doing the little things well we are setting up a foundation for success. However, we want to avoid the regularity of routine that becomes rote and ultimately boring.
Here are the rules to stay creative as a coach:
Keep doing the little things consistently well
Mix things up. Add variety into your sessions.
Provide a basis of autonomy i.e. give the client some choice in their programs
Add in external cuing and creative methods of communication
Get client feedback during and after each session
Coach’s Tip:
Look to enhance your skills and learn new methods. For the past 18 years, I have not stopped learning and have travelled the globe learning from masters in their filed. This enabled me to be creative in the way I delivered my sessions and utilise the above 5 principles.
Within your sessions it is important to have a training plan. This may be 3 months, 6 months or perhaps longer. This is then chunked down into training phases. It is within those phases that we look to mix things up and progress the degree of mastery that the client experiences under your coaching guidance
Keep Reaching
@Coach_Tarek